Sheet feeding mechanism



ug. "22, i967 G. sPlEss 3,337,214

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM t Filed July 6, 1964 Georg Spiess By'. Milam/Mid Z55/WWP United States Patent O s 7 claims. (ci. 271-26) This invention relates to printing machines and similar devices in which individual sheets of paper are to be taken from a stack of sheets, and more particularly to a pneumatically operated sheet feeding mechanism.

In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with the mounting of a sheet separator head on a carrier bar. It is known to arrange the several nozzles of a pneumatically operated sheet feeding mechanism on a common head which in turn is mounted on a carrier bar.

The object of the invention is a mounting arrangement which permits convenient access to the top of the stack of sheets as well as to the head-mounted nozzles without lowering the stack.

A more specific object is a mounting arrangement in Which the nozzles maybe cleaned and their moving parts may be lubricatedwithout risk of soiling the topmost sheet of the stack.

With these and other objects in view, the invention, in one of its aspects, provides the carrier bar with a releasably fastened base member to which a bracket is pivotally secured. The sheet separator head is mounted on the bracket and is therefore capable of arcuate movement between its operative and inoperative positions.

Other features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same is better understood by reference to the attached drawing, the sole ligure of which shows as much of a sheet feeding mechanism as is necessary for an understanding of this invention, the view being in elevation, and partly in section.

There is seen a carrier bar 1 which serves as a support for the sheet separator head 6. A base member 2 of approximately U-shaped cross section conformingly engages the bar 1 and is longitudinally slidable thereon. The longitudinal position of the base member 2 on the bar 1 is secured by a clamping arrangement consisting of a rod 3 and a threaded pin or bolt 4. The rod has two spherical end portions, and one of the end portions is internally threaded about an axis which is transverse of the direction of elongation of the rod. A portion of the bar 1 is slotted, and the vslot conforms to the shape of the bolt 4. The head 5 of the bolt engages corresponding shoulders in the slot and thus constitutes an abutment which limits longitudinal movement of the bolt 4. The threaded end portion of the bolt 4 projects outward from an opening in the base member 2 which is aligned with the slot in the bar 1. The internal threads in the rod 3 are engaged by the bolt 4.

A bracket 7 is pivoted to one of the leg portions of the base member. A guide plate 8 is attached to the bracket 7. The separator head 6 is attached to the guide plate 8 and is movable thereon in the direction of the axis of a threaded spindle 17 having a knob 18. The spindle is vertical in the operative position of the separator head which is shown in the drawing in chaindotted outline.

The separator head 6 is held in the inoperative position shown in fully drawn lines by a detent arm 9. One end portion of the arm 9 is pivoted to the other leg portion of the base member 2 so that the forked free end portion may move in an arc about the pivot. A helical ICC tension spring 12 urges the arm to move counterclockwise from the illustrated position, but such movement is prevented by engagement of a stud 10 projecting from the bracket 7 with a conforming recess in the forked free end portion of the arm 9. The arm 9 carries an actuating pin 11.

A portion of the separator head remote from the bracket 7 carries a handle 13. A suction nozzle 15 and a compressed air nozzle 16 are arranged on the underside of the head in a manner known in itself. In the operative position of the head, the nozzles are arranged near an edge of a stack of sheets 14 for separating the top sheet from the remainder of the stack. In the inoperative position they are spaced vertically and horizontally from the stack.

When it isdesired to return the separator head 6 from the inoperative to the operative position, the pin 11 on the arm 9 is grasped, and the head 6 is lifted by the handle 13 until the stud 10 'clears the arm 9, and the arm 9 can be moved clockwise from the illustrated position. The head 6 is then permitted to swing slowly under its own weight toward the operative position which may further be adjusted by turning theknob 18. When the pin 11 is released, the longitudinal edge of the arm 9 facing the bar 1 abuts against the stud 10.

During pivoting movement of the separator head from the operative to the inoperative position, the stud pivots the arm 9 against the tension of the spring 12 while the stud moves along the afore-mentioned longitudinal edge of the arm. The stud eventually drops into the recess of the forked arm end, and can again hold the separator head in its inoperative position against the torce of gravity when the handle 13 is released.

The separator head may be shifted longitudinally on the bar 1 if the rod 3 is loosened on the bolt 4, and the head together with the mounting elements may be removed from the bar when the rod 3 is disengaged from the bolt 4.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sheet feeding mechanism, in combination:

(a) a supporting bar;

(b) a base member releasably fastened to said bar;

(c) bracket means secured to said base member for pivoting movement about an axis;

(d) a sheet separator head;

(e) mounting means securing said head to said bracket means for arcuate movement of the head with said bracket means about said axis between an operative and an inoperative position, and for linear movement relative to said bracket means transversely of said axis; and

(f) means for moving said head relative to said bracket means.

2. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 1, said supporting bar and said base member being formed with aligned openings, an elongated pin member received in said aligned openings, abutment means on one' longitudinal end portion of said pin member engaging said bar member for preventing longitudinal movement of said pin member in a direction toward said base member, the other end portion of said pin member projecting longitudinally from said base member and being threaded, and a threaded clamping member engaging said other end portion and abutting against said base member.

3. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 2, said opening in said bar being a slot, and said pin member being movable in said slot transversely of the direction of elongation thereof, when said clamping member releases said base member.

4. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 1, engageable detent means on said base member and on said bracket means, said detent means when engaged holding said separator head in said inoperative position thereof.

5. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 4, said detent means including a detent member having two end portions, one of said end portions being secured to said base member for arcuate movement of the other end portion toward and away from a position of engagement, said other end portion being formed with a recess therein, and said detent means further including an engagement member ixedly fastened on said bracket means and engageable with said recess-when the same is in said position` of engagement.

6. In a mechanism as set forth in claim 1, means defining a stack of sheets having a top surface, `said supporting bar being elongated in a direction parallel to said surface, and said bracket means being secured to said base member for pivotal movement in a plane transverse of the direction of elongation of said bar for said movement of said separator head; and nozzle means on said head for taking a predetermined portion of said stack from the same, said nozzle means being adjacent said stack in said operative position of said head, and being 7. In a sheet feeding mechanism, in combination:

(a) a supporting bar;

(b) a base member releasably fastened to said bar;

(c) bracket means pivotally secured to said base member;

(d) a sheet separator head mounted on said bracket means for arcuate movement between an operative and an inoperative position; and

(e) engageable detent means on said base member and on said bracket means, said detent means when engaged holding said separator head in said inoperative position thereof; and

(f) yieldably resilient means for urging said detent means into engagement when said separator head moves from said operative to said inoperative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 754,204 3/ 1904 Dexter 271--20 1,448,711 3/1923 Pool 271--36 1,475,621 11/ 1923 Christophel 271-20 1,590,133 6/1926 Tennyson 292-294 1,776,198 9/1930 Russ 16-138 2,8 19,074 1/ 1958 Williams 271-26 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiner.

spaced therefrom in a vertical directionv and in a hori- 30 R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner.

zontal direction in said inoperative position of the head. 

1. IN A SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM, IN COMBINATION: (A) A SUPPORTING BAR; (B) A BASE MEMBER RELEASABLY FASTENED TO SAID BAR; (C) BRACKET MEANS SECURED TO SAID BASE MEMBER FOR PIVOTING MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS; (D) A SHEET SEPARATOR HEAD; (E) MOUNTING MEANS SECURING SAID HEAD TO SAID BRACKET MEANS FOR ARCUATE MOVEMENT OF THE HEAD WITH SAID BRACKET MEANS ABOUT SAID AXIS BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION, AND FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET MEANS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID AXIS; AND (F) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID HEAD RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET MEANS. 